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2011 Acura RDX airbags problems
severe
Owners of the 2011 Acura RDX have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See airbags across all vehicles →
An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JY0, JY1, and JY2.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented
repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall
(it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service BulletinB18-020Feb 2026
Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Driver's Airbag Inflator for 2013-14 ILX Hybrid and Other Listed Years and Models.
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Nine out of ten complaints center on delays and parts unavailability for Takata airbag recall 16V061000. Owners reported contacting dealers multiple times between March 2016 and beyond, only to be told replacement parts weren't in stock. Several dealers did not respond in reasonable timeframes or provide estimated repair dates. One owner waited over seven months without resolution. The manufacturer acknowledged at least one case (05970305) but offered no additional help; dealers cited authorization issues and parts distribution disconnects.
One separate complaint describes an actual airbag failure: at 30,100 miles, during a low-speed crash (uncontrolled acceleration into an embankment), the airbags did not deploy. The vehicle also exhibited unrelated symptoms—independent acceleration with brake pedal depressed and revving in Park/Neutral that stopped only after shutdown. This vehicle was never diagnosed or repaired, and the manufacturer was not notified.
The broader pattern is a supply-chain failure preventing recall completion across multiple vehicles, creating extended periods where owners drove vehicles with known defects awaiting correction.
Same Acura RDX airbags reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag non-deployment in crash
During a low-speed crash event (vehicle accelerated uncontrollably, hit embankment, tilted to right), the airbags did not deploy when expected to protect occupants.
When: 30,100 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy during crash; Vehicle accelerated without warning while turning with brake pedal depressed; Vehicle continued revving after shift to Park and Neutral
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired; towed to owner's residence
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not notified of the failure
Takata airbag recall (16V061000) repair delay and parts unavailability
Owners received recall notice for NHTSA Campaign 16V061000 (Takata airbags) but dealers reported parts were unavailable for extended periods. Manufacturers exceeded reasonable timeframes for repair; some dealers were unresponsive or could not provide estimated repair dates. No actual airbag failures reported by these complainants.
When: Recall issued March 2016; contacts made April–August 2016 and beyond
Symptoms owners cite: Recall parts unavailable at dealers; Dealers unresponsive to recall requests; No estimated repair dates provided; Delays of months to over seven months without resolution
Codes mentioned:NHTSA Campaign 16V061000
Repairs/costs cited: Parts not available per VIN tool verification; dealers unable to perform recall repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 16V061000 (Takata airbag recall); Manufacturer opened case 05970305 for one complaint but offered no additional assistance; parts distribution disconnect noted
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
10 most recent
airbags
· filed 12/05/2016
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Acura rdx. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags). The contact stated that the parts needed for the recall remedy were still not available and the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
airbags
· filed 10/13/2016
Takata recall- I have contacted dealership several times over seven months - they dont have parts to repair the problem. This is a severe safety issue that demands real dates for repair.
airbags
· filed 09/22/2016
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms…
airbags
· filed 09/17/2016
Takata recall I have contacted dealership twice and they keep telling me they dont have parts to repair the problem. Contacted in april 2016 and august 2016. Is this a saftey issue fro my wife while driving this car?
airbags
· filed 07/18/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called a local dealer (Honda of bay county located at 3601 e 15th st panama city, fl 32404) who stated that…
airbags
· filed 07/12/2016
I received a safety recall notice for my car airbags in march of 2016. I have contacted my dealer several time to ask for the replacement required by this recall and still have had no response. Meanwhile, my family and I are driving in what could be a dangerous vehicle.
airbags
· filed 07/12/2016
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not…
airbags
· filed 06/13/2016
2011 Acura rdx. Consumer writes in regards to replacement parts not available to repair defective airbag recall. *smd
airbags
· filed 05/01/2017
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Acura rdx. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags). The dealer was contacted numerous times to schedule the recall repair, but they were unresponsive. The dealer failed to respond in a reasonable timeframe. The manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the contact's vehicle would receive the recall…
airbags
· filed 01/23/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Acura rdx. The contact stated that while making a turn at an extremely low speed with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. As a result, the contact drove over a curb and crashed into an embankment as the vehicle tilted to the right side. In addition, the contact mentioned that the vehicle continued to revv after it was…
Had airbags trouble with your 2011 Acura RDX?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2011 Acura RDX?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Acura/RDX.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.